Communist Undertones in our flawed voting system.

[fumbler]

We are told we live in a fair and equal society that is of a democratic nature yet our own voting system is akin to those with communist ties.
Firstly we are made to clear our schedules whether it’s with family or work to go somewhere to stand in line for sometimes hours to vote for someone who does not actually represent us but a party that had put who they wanted forth.

Democracy is not alive in our voting system atm.

 

[Hawk Dork]

We are told we live in a fair and equal society that is of a democratic nature yet our own voting system is akin to those with communist ties.
Firstly we are made to clear our schedules whether it’s with family or work to go somewhere to stand in line for sometimes hours to vote for someone who does not actually represent us but a party that had put who they wanted forth.

Democracy is not alive in our voting system atm.

Agree Democracy is not alive, Rupert Murdoch has chosen every prime minister in the last few decades ,this needs to stop and hopefully will this election

 

[Pessimistic]

Agree wit comment. Not sure it’s a communist thing though. For one those regimes are known for not encouraging voting

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Communism?

Try Fascism

 

[sherb]

We are told we live in a fair and equal society that is of a democratic nature yet our own voting system is akin to those with communist ties.
Firstly we are made to clear our schedules whether it’s with family or work to go somewhere to stand in line for sometimes hours to vote for someone who does not actually represent us but a party that had put who they wanted forth.

Democracy is not alive in our voting system atm.

Say what?

I've voted in I don't know how many elections over 40 odd years and I reckon the longest I've had to wait in a line is 15 minutes.

 

[Art Corvelay]

Name a country with a better solution.

 

[Power Raid]

Just do a postal vote

There is a lot wrong with our current system though. Having stronger states and a small Canberra would serve us all better.

 

[Power Raid]

Name a country with a better solution.

Switzerland has a concept that we should consider adopting.

Our elections are becoming more and more US like with a “presidential” campaign. It started with Rudd but this concept has reduced politics to personality over policy. No wonder politics has been in the toilet for 12 years.

Getting rid a the PM position, as we have it, is a must.

 

[Kram]

Say what?

I've voted in I don't know how many elections over 40 odd years and I reckon the longest I've had to wait in a line is 15 minutes.

I reckon 5 minutes is the most I've ever waited in 18 years.

 

[Hawk Dork]

I vote upto 2 weeks before the election Im not into crowds or sausages

 

[aCunningPlan]

I like the fundamentals of our system, I'd be more worried if we had politicians drawing up electoral boundaries like the Americans do honestly. At least we have some semblance of impartiality in the conducting of elections.

 

[Crankyhawk]

We are told we live in a fair and equal society that is of a democratic nature yet our own voting system is akin to those with communist ties.
Firstly we are made to clear our schedules whether it’s with family or work to go somewhere to stand in line for sometimes hours to vote for someone who does not actually represent us but a party that had put who they wanted forth.

Democracy is not alive in our voting system atm.

Fairly easy to vote early or by mail

 

[Crankyhawk]

Just do a postal vote

There is a lot wrong with our current system though. Having stronger states and a small Canberra would serve us all better.

Alternatively axe the states and have two levels of government- federal and local . Eliminate waste from cost shifting and states escalating bribes to attract private sector jobs

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

“Communist” lol.

I LOVE going to vote, Australian style. While you wait in line, you get chatting with people from your neighbourhood you’d never met before, everyone is unfailingly civil and polite to each other (well, apart from the odd corflute turf war amongst rival party volunteers), it’s on a Saturday so MOST people aren’t put out too much (would you prefer American democracy which always holds its election days during the working week, so voters have to beg time off work from their bosses?), you get to support your local community school via the cake stall and the sausage sizzle... there’s a lot of things about Australia that we could do better but voting day is not one of them.

“Communist” lol.

 

[Kram]

The tossers that push the how to vote cards are the scum of the earth.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

to vote for someone who does not actually represent us but a party that had put who they wanted forth.

And what is this shit?

(a) so vote independent or informal.

And (b) just because someone’s part of a party doesn’t mean they’re not advocating for the locals. Maybe I’m lucky, but where I live, the local, state and federal members are all highly visible and very accessible.

 

[Power Raid]

Alternatively axe the states and have two levels of government- federal and local . Eliminate waste from cost shifting and states escalating bribes to attract private sector jobs

From an efficiency point of view I agree.

But big government is dangerous as we see with the US, china, Russia and all before.

The states should be the only government in charge of health, education, police etc. this creates competition, innovation and tailored needs (just look at the failed NDIS vs the successful DSC, the failed education revolution and subsequent federal initiatives). Most importantly it provides citizens an easy escape from failed governments or those that go rogue.

From an Australian perspective, Australians will laugh at the idea we will ever have a Hitler, Stalin, Trump, Mussolini, Suharto, Mao, Putin etc etc but so to would the US, Russia, indonesia and 90% of the world before they got one.

The federal government should not be inward looking rather a very limited portfolio such as military, tax collection and disbursement of 90% of tax collected to the states. A weak federal government is and strong states is the safest thing for citizens and our international neighbours.

Local government reform is necessary with a consolidation of councils in big cities by a factor of 4.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

The tossers that push the how to vote cards are the scum of the earth.

And they are unnecessary. Tas and ACT elections work fine with electoral material (other than electoral commission stuff) prohibited a certain distance from the polling station. I think 400m in Tas, 100m from the grounds in the ACT.
And that's with Hare-Clark in both systems and no above the line voting. No HTV cards, and no distortion of the system by preference deals. But parties like to gain the system, so not many will advocate getting rid of them. (There are legitimate "free speech" concerns, but if you can prohibit the display and handing out of promotional material inside the polling station you can prohibit it a reasonable distance outside.)

 

[Gough]

I've done htvs before and enjoyed it, 95% of the people are good with it too, you get the odd special sort who loudly take issue with your party but that's about it. It feels good to take part in democracy as well.

 

[Pessimistic]

From an efficiency point of view I agree.

But big government is dangerous as we see with the US, china, Russia and all before.

The states should be the only government in charge of health, education, police etc. this creates competition, innovation and tailored needs (just look at the failed NDIS vs the successful DSC, the failed education revolution and subsequent federal initiatives). Most importantly it provides citizens an easy escape from failed governments or those that go rogue.

From an Australian perspective, Australians will laugh at the idea we will ever have a Hitler, Stalin, Trump, Mussolini, Suharto, Mao, Putin etc etc but so to would the US, Russia, indonesia and 90% of the world before they got one.

The federal government should not be inward looking rather a very limited portfolio such as military, tax collection and disbursement of 90% of tax collected to the states. A weak federal government is and strong states is the safest thing for citizens and our international neighbours.

Local government reform is necessary with a consolidation of councils in big cities by a factor of 4.

All good, but don’t forget while australia won’t become a police state, that’s how the European version started out, botany bay

 

[Chief]

The tossers that push the how to vote cards are the scum of the earth.

Broad brush don’t you think ?

Last state election there were some pushy LNP old farts ignoring the rules on distance from polling booth entry. But otherwise they are usually pleasant.

 

[Crankyhawk]

From an efficiency point of view I agree.

But big government is dangerous as we see with the US, china, Russia and all before.

The states should be the only government in charge of health, education, police etc. this creates competition, innovation and tailored needs (just look at the failed NDIS vs the successful DSC, the failed education revolution and subsequent federal initiatives). Most importantly it provides citizens an easy escape from failed governments or those that go rogue.

From an Australian perspective, Australians will laugh at the idea we will ever have a Hitler, Stalin, Trump, Mussolini, Suharto, Mao, Putin etc etc but so to would the US, Russia, indonesia and 90% of the world before they got one.

The federal government should not be inward looking rather a very limited portfolio such as military, tax collection and disbursement of 90% of tax collected to the states. A weak federal government is and strong states is the safest thing for citizens and our international neighbours.

Local government reform is necessary with a consolidation of councils in big cities by a factor of 4.

The US aren’t big government the states there bleat state rights crap at the drop of a hat and the people are very “**** off feds”
Wouldn’t want my local council increasing in size unless it was in the 2 tier system I proposed (that said it is the current biggest in population in Victoria- Hume).
If we relied on states more the small population states would struggle (I’m thinking SA and TAS particularly)

 

[Power Raid]

All good, but don’t forget while australia won’t become a police state, that’s how the European version started out, botany bay

So it’s happened once, so it won’t happen again?

Other than white Australia policy and gay discrimination?

I think you’ve proved the point

 

[Power Raid]

The US aren’t big government the states there bleat state rights crap at the drop of a hat and the people are very “**** off feds”
Wouldn’t want my local council increasing in size unless it was in the 2 tier system I proposed (that said it is the current biggest in population in Victoria- Hume).
If we relied on states more the small population states would struggle (I’m thinking SA and TAS particularly)

4 trillion isn’t large?

 

[Pessimistic]

So it’s happened once, so it won’t happen again?

Other than white Australia policy and gay discrimination?

I think you’ve proved the point

I’m observing not making a prediction